How to Make the Most of Weekly One-on-Ones With Your Boss

How to Make the Most of Weekly One-on-Ones With Your BossHow to Make the Most of Weekly One-on-Ones With Your Boss These days, a growing number of companies are requiring that bosses and their direct reports have weekly one-on-one meetings . And while some workers - and managers - find these sit-downs to be nothing mora than a glaring waste of time, for otzu sichs, theyre a welcome opportunity to get some face time and rehash important work-related matters.Of course, the problem with these recurring one-on-ones is that they tend to be rather brief. And that makes sense. If your manager has 12 direct reports and is required to meet with all of them on a weekly basis, he or she cant exactly carve out 60 minutes or more per employee. As such, your weekly one-on-one might amount to nothing more than a 15-minute chat, or 30 minutes if youre lucky, and thats why it pays to approach those conversations strategically. Heres how.Perhaps the best way to take advantage of your weekly one-on-one with your manager is to come in prepared with an agenda. Before that meeting, jot down a list of the things you want to discuss and the questions to which you need answers. Granted, your boss might be the one who ultimately dictates how that meeting goes and what items are reviewed, but the more organized you are when you come in, the greater your chances of hitting on the talking points that are fruchtwein important to you.Its always good to build a relationship with your manager, and theres something to be said for basic conversation along the lines of How was your weekend? or Let me tell you about this great restaurant I just found. But when you only have a handful of minutes to discuss important matters with your boss, forgoing that chitchat is a better idea. So rather than engage in small talk, get right down to business. Go through the items on your prepared agenda, and let your boss have his or her say as well. If you find that you have a few minutes le ft over after all critical matters are discussed, you and your manager can then feel free to swap grilling tips or analyze your favorite sports teams performance.Chances are, your boss will want to use your one-on-one time to get updated on critical projects youre working on. But the more time you spend sharing those details, the less time youll have to ask questions or review other important matters. Thats why it pays to be as concise as possible when bringing your manager up to speed. If youre tasked with overhauling your companys website, you dont necessarily need to spend seven or eight minutes reviewing your content strategy. Rather, a simple The home page redesign portion is complete should suffice. If your manager has any follow-up questions, he or she will be sure to ask.Many managers use weekly one-on-ones as a chance to get up to date and share quick thoughts. But if youre smart, youll use that time as a chance to solicit actual feedback about your performance. This migh t get your boss thinking about how youre doing and where you can improve, and if you receive that sort of constructive criticism week after week, as opposed to waiting until your annual review comes around, itll be much more helpful.Whether you look forward to your weekly one-on-one with your boss or think its a drag, it pays to make the most of that time. Follow these tips, and youll be doing just that.